Rock, Brosnan, Sarandon line up for Sundance

By DAVID GERMAIN, The Associated Press
| 1:56 p.m.Dec. 3, 2008

In this image released by The Sundance Institute, Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon are shown in a scene from Shana Feste's, "The Greatest," one of 64 films announced Wednesday in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. The festival that showcases independent film runs Jan. 15-25 in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute)
— AP

In this image released by The Sundance Institute, Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon are shown in a scene from Shana Feste's, "The Greatest," one of 64 films announced Wednesday in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. The festival that showcases independent film runs Jan. 15-25 in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Sundance Institute)
/ AP

Rock appears in the documentary "Good Hair," director Jeff Stilson's examination of African-American hairstyles, which was among 64 films announced Wednesday in Sundance's four competitions for U.S. and world cinema.

Brosnan and Sarandon star in director Shana Feste's "The Greatest," about a couple coping with the loss of their teenage son, while Giamatti and Watson are among the cast of Sophie Barthes' "Cold Souls," centering on an actor in an existential crisis.

The festival that showcases independent film runs Jan. 15-25 in Park City, Utah.

Others films among the 16 in the U.S. drama category include the romance "Brief Interviews With Hideous Men," the writing-directing debut of "The Office" co-star John Krasinski. He also appears in the film along with Timothy Hutton, Julianne Nicholson and "Office" colleague Rashida Jones.

The overall Sundance lineup is hard to categorize but will be heavy on "romance and activism," said festival director Geoffrey Gilmore.

"The issue about romance is it feels like a new generation taking the idea of love stories and romantic melodrama into their own direction," Gilmore said.

The U.S. and world documentary competitions are loaded with films examining social and environmental issues, including the ocean-wildlife studies "The Cove" and "The End of the Line," the oil chronicle "Crude," the top-soil tale "Dirt: The Movie" and the financial expose "Let's Make Money."

Also in the Sundance dramatic lineup: "The Dream of the Romans," with Jeff Daniels and Lauren Graham in a story about the reclusive author of an influential spiritual book; "An Education," an adaptation of the Nick Hornby novel starring Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina and Emma Thompson; "Five Minutes of Heaven," an Irish political drama with Liam Neeson; and "Taking Chance," a military homefront saga with Kevin Bacon.

The documentary categories also include "When You're Strange," a chronicle of Jim Morrison and the Doors; "Thriller in Manila," examining the final boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier; and "William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe," a portrait of the civil-rights lawyer directed by his daughters, Sarah and Emily Kunstler.

The overall Sundance lineup presents 118 feature-length films, which were chosen from 3,661 submissions. Films in the star-studded premieres section and other categories will be announced Thursday.